Tim MacMahon

And he feared giving him the supermax, and he punted on him, I would say prematurely.

And he feared giving him the supermax, and he punted on him, I would say prematurely.

And he feared giving him the supermax, and he punted on him, I would say prematurely.

Yeah, I would certainly agree with that. And look, that relationship obviously also goes back to the relationship with Kobe. Rob Palenka was Kobe's longtime agent. You know, Nico was his right-hand man at Nike. Those three traveled the world together, you know, got to have a, you know, a real bond. And Nico could trust Palenka to keep things secret. Of course,

Yeah, I would certainly agree with that. And look, that relationship obviously also goes back to the relationship with Kobe. Rob Palenka was Kobe's longtime agent. You know, Nico was his right-hand man at Nike. Those three traveled the world together, you know, got to have a, you know, a real bond. And Nico could trust Palenka to keep things secret. Of course,

Yeah, I would certainly agree with that. And look, that relationship obviously also goes back to the relationship with Kobe. Rob Palenka was Kobe's longtime agent. You know, Nico was his right-hand man at Nike. Those three traveled the world together, you know, got to have a, you know, a real bond. And Nico could trust Palenka to keep things secret. Of course,

Was it in Polinka's best interest to keep things secret? Absolutely. You know, because, and then he could use the card that you just mentioned. Hey, I can't check with Bill Duffy, you know, Luca's agent. Well, if I, listen, if I can't call Duff,

Was it in Polinka's best interest to keep things secret? Absolutely. You know, because, and then he could use the card that you just mentioned. Hey, I can't check with Bill Duffy, you know, Luca's agent. Well, if I, listen, if I can't call Duff,

Was it in Polinka's best interest to keep things secret? Absolutely. You know, because, and then he could use the card that you just mentioned. Hey, I can't check with Bill Duffy, you know, Luca's agent. Well, if I, listen, if I can't call Duff,

I mean, how do I know that he'll want to stick around to play in sunny Southern California for the most glamorous franchise in NBA history while one of his good buddies is coaching the team? I mean, gee whiz, could the Lakers attract talent to play with him? It's always been so difficult. Like, geez, we're taking such a risk here.

I mean, how do I know that he'll want to stick around to play in sunny Southern California for the most glamorous franchise in NBA history while one of his good buddies is coaching the team? I mean, gee whiz, could the Lakers attract talent to play with him? It's always been so difficult. Like, geez, we're taking such a risk here.

I mean, how do I know that he'll want to stick around to play in sunny Southern California for the most glamorous franchise in NBA history while one of his good buddies is coaching the team? I mean, gee whiz, could the Lakers attract talent to play with him? It's always been so difficult. Like, geez, we're taking such a risk here.

And he walked away with a 20-31 pick in his pocket, with a 20-30 swap in his pocket. Dalton Connect wasn't part of the deal. Whatever you want to say. So yeah, Palenka keeping it secret. Nika wanted to do it because he felt like he had to blindside Luka. And as I write in the book, after six years of the Mavericks kissing Luka's butt, he did get shanked in the back.

And he walked away with a 20-31 pick in his pocket, with a 20-30 swap in his pocket. Dalton Connect wasn't part of the deal. Whatever you want to say. So yeah, Palenka keeping it secret. Nika wanted to do it because he felt like he had to blindside Luka. And as I write in the book, after six years of the Mavericks kissing Luka's butt, he did get shanked in the back.

And he walked away with a 20-31 pick in his pocket, with a 20-30 swap in his pocket. Dalton Connect wasn't part of the deal. Whatever you want to say. So yeah, Palenka keeping it secret. Nika wanted to do it because he felt like he had to blindside Luka. And as I write in the book, after six years of the Mavericks kissing Luka's butt, he did get shanked in the back.

It's absolutely what happened here. Felt like he had to blindside Luka. Felt like he had to blindside Bill Duffy. And I would argue that it worked against him. And, you know, the other thing is I think the fear of the Supermax was or logic was extremely flawed logic. Nico talking about it's going to be a tumultuous summer. Number one, Luca was signing the Supermax, and Nico knew that.

It's absolutely what happened here. Felt like he had to blindside Luka. Felt like he had to blindside Bill Duffy. And I would argue that it worked against him. And, you know, the other thing is I think the fear of the Supermax was or logic was extremely flawed logic. Nico talking about it's going to be a tumultuous summer. Number one, Luca was signing the Supermax, and Nico knew that.

It's absolutely what happened here. Felt like he had to blindside Luka. Felt like he had to blindside Bill Duffy. And I would argue that it worked against him. And, you know, the other thing is I think the fear of the Supermax was or logic was extremely flawed logic. Nico talking about it's going to be a tumultuous summer. Number one, Luca was signing the Supermax, and Nico knew that.

Luca was about to close on his forever home in Dallas, and that was known throughout the organization. He was not going to turn down the biggest contract in NBA history. There were teams that were lining up just in case, but Luca was staying in Dallas. They feared it as an investment, which to me is, wow.

Luca was about to close on his forever home in Dallas, and that was known throughout the organization. He was not going to turn down the biggest contract in NBA history. There were teams that were lining up just in case, but Luca was staying in Dallas. They feared it as an investment, which to me is, wow.